NYC Car-Free Day 2018: Street Closures, Programs, Free Citi Bike

NEW YORK, NY — Two large stretches of Manhattan will be liberated from cars Saturday for the city's third annual Car Free Day.

Car Free Day — held the day before Earth Day — is meant to encourage New Yorkers to ditch their cars in favor of walking, biking and public transportation. The city also organizes a number of activities, giveaways and programs to be held on the streets that are shut down to vehicle traffic and parking.

Whether you want to participate in Car Free Day or avoid it, here's what you need to know:

Which streets are shut down?

The Car Free Day closures will take place on a 30-block stretch of Broadway in Midtown Manhattan and a nine-block stretch of St. Nicholas Avenue in Washington Heights. Broadway will be closed between Union Square and Times Square and St. Nicholas Avenue will be closed between 181st Street and 190th Street from, city officials said.

When will the streets be closed?

Broadway streets will be closed between 9 a.m.-3 p.m. and St. Nicholas Ave. streets will be closed between 10 a.m.-4 p.m., city officials said.

What kind of programs are planned?

Citi Bike is offering free rides throughout its bike-share system. People interested in free rides can visit Citi Bike's website or download its mobile app on Saturday.

Broadway:

• Union Square will feature dance, yoga, and fitness classes on the hour as well as Historical and sustainability programming;
• At Flatiron, Citi Bike, Bike NY, and We Bike will sponsor programs along with other outdoor recreation and environmental programming. Performance stages will feature pop-up yoga, family fitness classes, dance workshops and more. Fitness activities include free rollerblade rentals and parkour. A public art installation, Broadway Bouquet, designed by Terrain Work is a 36 foot bouquet of flowers that will provide a living, breathing garden in the middle of one of the busiest spaces in the world! The National Museum of Mathematics will be bringing their exhibit "Plant the Daisy," to 26th Street, challenging participants to use the natural modes of vibration to try and plant a giant daisy stem in it's pot. City Agencies will have education and information tents set up in the area as well.
• Herald Square will feature a Double Dutch performance and class, a Hula Hoop class, a Sport Salsa dance class, and various fitness classes including cardio, dance fitness, boot camp, and Iron Strength. Columbia University's Earth Institute will be hosting an "Ice Detectives" workshop that uses snowflakes to better understand the planet and "Map My Emissions" to help people understand the climate impacts of their transportation choices. Music performances will also be featured every hour on the hour.
• An Ice Box Challenge — a public science demonstration that invites the public to discover the benefits of hyper efficient buildings — will be held in the Garment District.
• In Times Square, Loudest Yeller will provide free bike tours, and Project Dance will hold an all-day dance festival. Musical performances will happen every hour in the Times Square Plaza.

St. Nicholas Avenue:

• FDNY will bring a fire truck to 181st Street that people can takes turns going inside.
• The main performance stage in front of Lucky 7, between 182nd and 183rd Street, will feature local and international acts.
• At 182nd Street, you can bring an outgrown children's bike and swap it for the correct size, while also receiving a brand new helmet, courtesy of DOT and Bike NY, who will also be offering free learn to ride bike lessons.
• Take part in physical activity, training with New York Road Runners, The Armory, Street Soccer USA, Row New York and other groups offering different sports throughout the day. Take a tour of Highbridge Park with New York Restoration Project. La Mega will host zumba classes at 190th st.
• Children's Museum of Arts New York, Morris Jumel Mansion, Sugar Hill Children's Museum and other cultural institutions will hold programs.
• Take a tour of the BioBus and let your inner scientist come out. Enjoy robotics shows by local schools, or follow the march of Brazilian Drum Band Fogo Azul as they parade through the day.
• Local elected officials and city agencies will also join to provide details on accessing opportunities.
• Enjoy a show by Carnegie Hall or a puppet show with Repertorio Español and Society of Educational Arts on the United Healthcare stage between 186th and 187th Streets.

Above information provided by Department of Transportation.

Photo by New York City Department of Transportation